Improvement in sprinklers for railroad-rails



M. P. CRAIG. Sprinkler for Railroad-Rails.

No. 221,527. Patented Nov. 11, 1879.

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N,FETERS. FHOTO-LITHOGRAPNEFL WASHINGTON n c UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE MICHAEL F. CRAIG, OF NEVADA (JITY, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPRINKLERS FOR RAILROAD-RAILS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,527. dated November 11,1879 application filed August 28, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL F. CRAIG, of Nevada City, -in the county of Nevada and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Sprinkler for Railroad Rails, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to lessen the friction between the wheels of a railway-train and the rails, thereby effecting a saving in motive power and in wear and tear on rollingstock and track.

0n the curves of a railroad the tendency of the wheel on the outside of the curve isto bind and climb the rail, while the wheel on the inside of the curve slides more or less on the rail. When the rails are wet the tendency of the outside wheel to climbis less, and the inner wheel slips easier, in each case saving friction, motive power, and wear, and faster time may be made with the same degree of safety.

My invention consists in the combination, with a locomotive, of apparatus for sprinkling or wetting the rails either in front or behind the driving-wheels, as circumstances may require, the apparatus being under control of the driver.

The construction and operation will he more particularly explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is aside elevation of a locomotive having the sprinkler combined with it. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view .of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A A are the main feed-water pipes of the locomotive. The sprinklerpipes a 0t 12 b are The pipes a b terminate near the rail, and are fitted at their ends with rose jet nozzles. The pipes a should have a section of rubber or other flexible pipe to allow for the swing of the trucks, and these pipes are to be fitted with cocks, as shown at c, with rods passing to the cabs for cutting off the flow of watt-r from either or both pipes.

In practical operation the pipes 11 will 'seldom be required, except when the engine is backing or ata road-crossing, where the rail is covered with dirt. In the latter case wetting the rails might cause the drivers to slip, to prevent which pipes a will be cut off and pipes I) opened at the crossing.

The pipes at will supply a continuous stream of water upon the rails, or the rails may be wet only at the curves. The effect is, as before mentioned, the friction is reduced between the wheels of the train and the rails, and, further, the brakes will act with better effect than when the train is running on dry rails.

On narrow-gage railroads, where the curves are usually sharp, the invention will be especially useful by reducing the wear and grind at the curves, thus saving the motive power and giving longer life to the wheels and rails.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination, with a locomotive, of apparatus for wetting the rails, consisting of the pipes at or b, connected with thefeed-water pipe A, and provided with cocks a, substantially as described and shown.

MICHAEL FRANCIS CRAIG.

Witnesses:

C. P. LOUGHRIIDGE, J. O. MGCORMAOK. 

